What a voice

Courtesy of the Passy-Muir valve, Tim celebrated getting his voice back this evening by calling his parents. Thirty years ago, when he'd been voiceless for 3 months in rehab after his diving accident, he called his mother on the phone and said, "Hi, Mom." She started talking with him before the shock set in that she could hear him.

Tonight, both Fred & Phyl were surprised (and delighted) to hear Tim greet them on the phone. And he was as happy to hear his voice as I was. His first words before he got on the phone were, "Cogito, ergo sum." Descartes didn't, as far as I know, undergo respiratory failure, so he didn't know to say the more fundamental, "Spiro, ergo sum." (See my comment on this one.)

When the Passy-Muir is in place, he's not on the vent at all, and so breathes room air. He did fine for 5 minutes of that, but found it tiring. The literature says it'll take a while for his lungs and diaphragm to build up strength. We'll be patient.

He will be able, eventually, to return to his normal Montgomery t-tube trach, but that'll be after the ventilator and oxygen are gone and he's able to face that surgery.

For now, he did fine with yesterday's goal: when his 24 hours ended this morning, they took blood gases and put him back on the vent. Carbon dioxide levels were up (PCO2=59), and so Dr. Pulmonology ordered him to rest more today. He weaned for five hours this afternoon and evening, and was heading for bed when I left at 9:15.

Since Stu brought up famous, and beautiful, people with trach histories, I thought I'd share pictures of the two women who make up, with Tim, the Brunet(te)s with Tracheostomies Trio.


Catherine Zeta Jones: Tracheostomy after pneumonia in infancy 


Liz: Tracheostomy after pneumonia in 1960 

And what voices they have, too. Good night!